D86 looks at ways to increase summer school enrollment

Hinsdale sees decline in students seeking

Hinsdale high school officials are looking to boost interest in summer school with enrichment classes or offerings for incoming freshmen after enrollment dropped in 2012.

Enrollment for the two semesters of academic study in summer 2012 totaled 352 compared to 461 in 2011, 408 in 2010, 472 in 2009, 571 in 2008, 621 in 2007 and 562 in 2006.

Recapping the summer, Michael Matozzi, director of deans, said the upside of the enrollment dip may be that fewer students are in need of making up work after struggling during the regular academic year or because Hinsdale South and Hinsdale Central high schools offered more ways for them to recover during the school year.

"It was the lowest we've seen in quite some time," he said. "We are seeing fewer students requiring credit recovery in the summertime."

Fifteen of the students who took classes in 2012 were from schools outside the district. About half of those students took an algebra/trigonometry class, which summer school principal David Anderson may be because it wasn't offered in their own districts.

Students from outside the district pay $325 per class, but Anderson said that will increase in 2013 to $350 to cover the district's costs such as teachers' salaries, which have risen about 11 percent since 2006.

District 86 students pay $200 per academic class, but Anderson said that fee is not expected to rise this year.

The district has not raised in-district fees since 2006.

Because of the troubled economy "it's difficult as it is now to have some families meet the tuition we have in place now," Matozzi said.

Superintendent Nicholas Wahl said the district will keep an eye on its costs and will consider tuition increases if needed. He said it currently costs the district about $68,000 to run summer school, which he said is very efficient.

Looking forward to this summer, Anderson said the district wants to continue to support online summer courses, plans to review and revise course descriptions as needed, and to explore new course offerings possibly targeting incoming freshmen.

In 2012, the district offered a summer class called Math Induction taken by 24 ninth-graders who were interested in developing their math skills before entering Hinsdale South, and AP English Language Bridge, which was taken by 20 students who wanted to be prepared for AP English Language and Composition, also at Hinsdale South.

"We really believe the more a student can get acclimated to a high school experience in the summer the more successful they will be," Anderson said.

In addition to the 352 students who took academic classes in 2012, 66 were enrolled in driver's education, Anderson said.